When I think of blenders, the movie “Father of the Bride” comes to mind (spoiler alert): the scene where the bride-to-be gets a gift from the groom, and it’s a blender! In the movie, this was upsetting — she even almost canceled the wedding. But had the blender been a Hurom Hexa Power High Speed Blender, I have a feeling she wouldn’t have been so upset!

I was so excited to review this blender because I love to blend smoothies, sauces and soups. As a kitchen tool, the blender can accomplish so many things. With the rise of high-power blenders, the texture of your final product is elevated to a whole new level. I have so many clients who would love to put certain vegetables in smoothies or make their own nut butters, but because they don’t have a high-powered blender, they end up chewing their smoothie. No thanks!

Hurom may have started by making juicers, but the company has moved into the blender world with this fancy yet simple machine. It has stainless-steel blades that are razor-sharp and can pulverize even the thickest of kale. It is BPA-free, so you can feel safe about using it with your loved ones and yourself. The blender is high-quality and more affordable than many of its competitors’ machines.

The Hexa Power High Speed Blender has a modern finish and easy-to-use button system. It comes with a “pusher” to ensure all ingredients make it to the bottom of the blender base to be completely blended. Pre-programmed settings for smoothies and soups make it simple to blend perfect smoothies or soup that is hot and ready to eat with a push of a button.

Sounds too good to be true, I know. I tested it! I made my recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (see below) with this blender and not a soup pot. What I noticed most was its texture. The design and power of the Hurom blender make the soup amazingly smooth and quite luxurious.

If you are looking to upgrade or replace a blender, this is a great one to consider. It is user-friendly, high-power and easy to clean, even in the dishwasher, if necessary. Blenders can be an investment and you want yours to last. Hurom offers a five-year warranty and has safety features built in, so your machine’s motor doesn’t die, and you can blend with confidence. This would even be a great wedding gift. Then maybe Hollywood could make a “Father of the Bride 3” where that scene is revised!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and diced
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, whole
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ⅓ cup orange juice
• ⅛ teaspoon chipotle powder
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Prepare 2 sheet pans, both lined with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
3. Peel and cube butternut squash (about ½-inch cubes) and roughly chop carrots. Arrange on sheet pans.
4. Add garlic and onion to each pan.
5. Coat each pan of veggies with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Roast in oven at 400°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until fork tender.
7. In the Hurom blender, add orange juice, chipotle powder, thyme and vegetable stock.
8. When squash, carrots and onions are roasted, add to blender.
9. Place lid on blender and select “soup” option.
10. Once finished, taste and season as needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes: Can top with pomegranate arils, pumpkin seeds or goat cheese (a personal favorite).

A good pan is a kitchen staple. As a dietitian and chef, I have been asked numerous times what kind of pan I use when cooking. Do I use nonstick, cast iron or something else? I respond that I’ve always used some type of nonstick pans, but some people then comment that toxicants from some nonstick coatings are not healthy. This is true, so buying high-quality pans with non-toxic coatings is important.

I was excited to try GreenPan’s Venice Pro Ceramic Non-Stick 2-piece Open Frypan Set because of its ceramic coating and nonstick, non-toxic reputation. Plus, I was curious if it actually is “green.” These environment-friendly features had me ready to throw out all my nonstick pans.

The GreenPan set of frypans has a sand-like coating that does not release toxicants and is earth-friendly. Plus, these frying pans are stunning, heavy-duty and easy to clean. The handles are oven-safe for times when you want to start a dish on the stove but finish in the oven. Think of all the frittatas you could make! The nonstick coating also allows for using less oil. While testing the pans, I used enough oil for flavor and texture, or for the overall satisfaction that fat brings to a dish, but it wasn’t necessary for the food not to stick to the pan.

These pans heat evenly, and all the food I made cooked well at the same rate, for the most part. I have used the pans almost daily, making everything from French toast, egg dishes, chicken and vegetables in a simmer sauce, and stir-fry.

GreenPan recommends hand-washing these pans. The company also advises against using metal utensils when cooking. I am used to this and like using silicone utensils, but it might not work for everyone. I also will note that ceramic pans are not supposed to be overheated. Because they heat evenly and quickly, you don’t need such a high flame. As someone who usually cooks with high heat, I was mindful to not turn the gas up too high. This is a possible con, in that it requires some extra thought; however, making a stir-fry dish that typically needs higher heat worked just fine with medium heat.

For me, the true test of a pan is making a dish that contains eggs, so I tested my family’s favorite: migas (recipe below).

Overall, the GreenPan Venice Pro Ceramic Non-Stick 2-piece Open Frypan Set is a great investment and a cook’s dream kitchen tool. I really did throw out my old pans, and I’m very excited to have these as my go-to pans.

Migas (Fried Corn Tortillas & Eggs)

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 5 corn tortillas, cut into half-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cheddar cheese (optional)
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Optional toppings:

• Green onions
• Avocado
• Salsa

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl whisk eggs and milk and set aside.
2. In a medium pan, heat oil over medium heat.
3. Add corn tortillas pieces and cook until browned.
4. Remove tortillas from the pan and set aside.
5. To the pan, add bell pepper and garlic and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add tortillas back into pan, then add eggs, folding and moving around the pan to cook but not overly brown eggs.
7. When eggs are mostly set, add cheese and fold into eggs (optional).
8. When cheese has melted and eggs are set, remove and serve immediately.
9. Garnish with cilantro and optional toppings such as green onions, avocado and salsa.

Tortilla soup is also one of those dishes I want to try at every restaurant that has it on the menu. They all have their own take on the recipe, and I love that. Plus, it is what we ate every day on spring break my junior year of college when we went to Cabo. Now that I think about it, tortilla soup means a lot to me!

I love this recipe, it is delicious, simple and is all my favorite recipes combined!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 to 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 bag store bought tortilla chips

Toppings:

• Shredded Cheese
• Radishes
• Cilantro
• Avocado
• Plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. Heat a heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add oil, onions and salt, let cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Next add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin and oregano and cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Stir in cooked and shredded chicken and crushed tomatoes.
5. Last, add chicken stock and bring soup to a boil.
6. Lower to a simmer and let cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Serve with tortilla chips on top and any other additional toppings listed. Enjoy!

A large rectangular tart dish sounded like a great way to get creative in the kitchen. Typical tart dishes are much shallower than the Emile Henry Deep Rectangle Tart Dish, so its size alone had me thinking of all sorts of recipes to try. I originally thought about making a traditional tart but soon learned that might not be the best fit for this particular kitchen item.

The dish is made of high-quality ceramic and has a fun design. Although I have always used round tart dishes, I found the rectangular shape to be modern and stylish. Plus, the edges make whatever you cook in it look a little fancy. The ceramic allows for even cooking, and the dish perfectly transitions from the oven to the table. I used the dish to make my apple-carrot oatmeal bake (recipe below), which is great for brunch. The attractive tart dish was even approved by the talented tablescape expert herself, my mom. And I’m happy to say the tart dish is very easy to clean, too, which is a must.

My only critique is its size. This tart dish is well-suited for baked goods such as overnight French toast, oatmeal bakes or egg casseroles, but it is slightly too large for a classic tart. The traditional tart I tried to make got a little lost in the depth of the dish. I’ll use this tart dish for larger recipes, knowing that if I am making something for only two to four people, there will be leftovers for sure.

That said, I would recommend the stunning Emile Henry Deep Rectangle Tart Dish to family and clients alike – and it would make a great gift. If you are someone who loves to entertain or just likes to have some interesting dishware for Sunday family brunch parties, this tart dish is perfect. It turns a rustic-looking oatmeal bake into a show-stopping part of your breakfast table.

Apple-Carrot Oatmeal Bake

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Wet ingredients

• 2 cups almond milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Mix-ins

• 1 carrot, shredded
• 2 apples, shredded
• ½ cup raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Prepare pan by rubbing with coconut oil to prevent sticking and set aside.
3. To a medium or large bowl, add oats, cinnamon, salt and baking powder (dry ingredients). Mix and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together almond milk, eggs, applesauce, syrup, vanilla and melted cooled coconut oil (wet ingredients) and set aside.
5. Add wet ingredient mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir to combine.
6. Fold in carrot, apples and raisins (mix-ins) until well incorporated.
7. Pour oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan.
8. Top oatmeal with nuts, if desired, or more raisins (optional).
9. Place in preheated oven and cook for about 35 to 40 minutes until set and a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Serve warm with toppings of choice (great with Greek yogurt or peanut butter drizzle).
11. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.
12. Enjoy!

Note: To reheat, place refrigerated bake in microwave for 30 to 45 seconds until warmed through.

Here are my three best meal planning tips for someone with diabetes, but really they’ll apply to many.

Meal Planning Tips for People with Diabetes

1. Include carbohydrates with meals and snacks. (This involves knowing what foods are carbohydrate containing). This might be confusing if you have been told to limit carbs (that is just diet culture talking). Avoiding or limiting carbs just sets us up for more intense cravings and can promote a negative relationship with food long-term. Carbs are our bodies’ favorite fuel source and let’s be real, they are delicious.
2. Aim for satiety. Foods that are more satiating are also the foods that balance out blood sugars. Foods that provide “staying power” include foods with more fiber, protein and fat. An example would be a lunch that includes low-carb vegetables like spinach or lettuce, and you could experiment with adding beans (fiber, carb and protein), chicken (protein) and avocado (fat). Another example would be a meal of pasta (carb). You could experiment with adding vegetables (fiber), olive oil drizzle (fat) and chicken (protein) to see if that improves satiety.
3. Choose foods you find satisfying. There is nothing worse than ordering what you thought you should be eating and then feeling full but like “something is missing.” That missing component is satisfaction. I heard the other day that the “e” in eating is for enjoyment and satisfaction plays right into that. We need to find some satisfaction in our meals and think about what really sounds good. Then we are left with a feeling of content by our food choices, rather that looking for more food that we might not have space for. This can also help with blood sugars because you aren’t eating more than your body needs in that moment. Eating more sometimes can result in higher blood sugars.

These are some examples of ways you can approach meals to improve your experience and your overall blood sugars. You deserve both. Looking at meal planning and diabetes from a place of curiosity can be a helpful step in healing your relationship with food.

To be very honest, I didn’t always have the best relationship with exercise. I would tell myself I had to do it, I would feel guilty if I skipped a workout and I would definitely have thoughts about food. Conditional permission with food, all depending on whether or not I made it to the gym. For so many reasons I needed to heal the thoughts and the obsession with exercising. My turning point was learning to respect my body, list to it and learn some acceptance.

I was lucky I found my way and I had support. I made a mental shift in how I looked at movement (a lovely term I prefer over “exercise”) and you can too! Movement can be joyful and amazing. Movement can leave you feeling uplifted, not exhausted and injured. Also, movement can just be, it doesn’t have to be what gives you permission to eat or not eat. Whether or not you move, you still need to eat today!

For me it took taking a break from exercise. I had to take a break and see that even if I stopped exercising in the conventional way (prescriptive and too often), that the world would keep spinning. I needed to show myself and my body that I cared enough to let it rest. I also need my mind to heal and I needed to stop having anxiety if I skipped a workout. Until that happened, I knew I had to take a break to do some work on myself. It was not easy and it was uncomfortable, but it was key.

Another big part of what helped me was remembering that my body can do some amazing things. Some of which include walking, running and holding my little one. Having gratitude for what my body can do came with more realizations.

One being that I am a runner, and while I used to deny or minimize this, I am one. It is my movement of choice. If I was going to be a runner, I needed to be smart and think about my intentions behind the running. Why do you run? I run because it is all mine, it brings me peace and I do some of my best thinking, and it is challenging, which I like. Being a runner made it more clear that I needed to take care of myself if I was going to expect to stay mentally and physically healthy. Through previous training cycles I have always been injured, or put too much pressure on myself. I never let it be joyful. Which is sad because I really love running. This training cycle, I knew I needed to be kinder to myself, fuel correctly and rediscover the joy.

After my break with scheduled exercise and some self-reflection, I felt ready to start training for my next half marathon. I told myself I would take it slow and not get too worked up about the runs or the training schedule. I also wanted to make sure I enjoyed every second, but if I wasn’t enjoying it, that I had the permission to stop.

I had the most amazing training cycle. For one, I am not injured. I got great rest, I fueled my body with lots of variety and I enjoyed myself. Movement should do this. Sure, I had some tough runs but the joy of accomplishment and the runners high I felt afterwards made all the difference. I also found a great tribe. I found community in a local running club which was was amazing. I had typically always trained alone and thought I wasn’t a joiner. Well spoiler alert, I am, and I really like having conversations with people while running, working towards a common goal and meeting new people. See, I’m still learning new things about myself!

I am telling you this somewhat long story for two reasons. First, I want you to remember that exercise can be viewed as negative and can become obsessive, and if that happens it is more stressful on the body than helpful. I knew this was happening to me because at one point I even lost my period. That is not a good sign, ladies! Secondly, I want to convey that joyful movement and moving your body in general are things the human body craves and is born to do.

Movement can be intuitive. For me that is running, and a few other activities, but it doesn’t have to look a certain way. Movement you enjoy could be walking with your kids, dancing, chair yoga, swimming, hiking… the list is endless. It just has to make you happy and set your soul on fire! All bodies, no matter their size, deserve to move. Take up space, move in a way that feels good and don’t let anyone take that God-given right away from you!

You deserve it! It feels amazing and can make a huge difference in your life!

Bok choy is quite good if you have never tried it. You’ll need to rinse it well after you cut it to remove any dirt. It is a type of Chinese cabbage, with a crisp and savory flavor. In this recipe, the boy choy is sauteed with salt and oil, but you can always add other spices like ginger and soy sauce. The sauce and meatballs in this recipe provide so much flavor while the simplicity of the bok choy and plain white rice is nice and balanced.

The meatball recipe can be doubled and freezes well if you want to have another batch on hand for a busy week down the road. It is also a great lunch option, as it heats up well the next day, even the vegetables!

I hope this dish provides you with some inspiration for mixing up those weeknight recipes.

Happy cooking!

Asian Meatballs with Sweet & Spicy Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

Meatballs

• ⅓ cup yellow onion, minced
• ½ cup red bell peppers, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• ¼ cup green onion, chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1 pound ground turkey
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup whole-wheat bread crumbs

Sauce

• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons sambal (chili paste)

Sides

• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 pound baby bok choy
• 2 teaspoons oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375F degrees.
2. Prepare two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In medium pan, saute onion and red bell pepper for 3 to 5 minutes until softened. Set aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, add garlic, ginger, green onion, egg, oil, soy sauce, bread crumbs and salt and stir to combine.
5. Once your peppers and onions have cooled, add them to the large bowl of other ingredients. Add ground turkey and mix until combined evenly, being careful not to over mix.
6. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out about 2 tablespoons of your meat mixture and gently form into balls. Place meatballs on prepared sheet pans.
7. Place meatballs in oven and let cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
8. Remove from oven and set aside.
9. While meatballs are cooking, add rice and water to medium sauce pan, add salt and bring to boil.
10. Decrease rice to a simmer, cover and let cook until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered until ready to serve.
11. In the same pan you sautéed the peppers and onions, add oil and cook the bok choy over medium-high heat until slightly wilted and charred, around 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside
12. In the same pan, add sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Once bubbling, add cooked meatballs just to coat with the sauce.
13. Save extra sauce for drizzling or for leftovers.

There are many ways that food rules can start, and they don’t always start in the home, but they can. You may remember some rules from when you were growing up; being told you couldn’t leave the table until you finish your vegetables, or “just take one more bite” when you knew you were full, or getting to have ice cream because you ate all of your meal. Those are some examples of ways we interfere with kids and their eating behaviors. The way we talk about food and our bodies as parents can shape our kids’ views. I am not sharing this to stress you out, rather to see it as an opportunity to help our children have a positive relationship with food and their bodies.  It starts with looking within ourselves.

Learning how to heal my relationship with food and my body has helped me talk to my family and hopefully send a more positive message. It has also been an area I have to maintain some boundaries for myself and remember that not everyone is ready to accept their bodies or heal their relationship with food.

Currently, our little one is very intuitive. She eats what and how much she wants, and if she isn’t hungry, she doesn’t eat. It is very important to me that she hears a strong and positive message about food. Food is a big part of our family and I want her to feel safe around food. I also want her to be able to trust her body, and that starts with us as her parents not interfering. Studies have shown the more you try to micromanage your kids eating, the more likely they are to struggle with their relationship with food. Which is kind of nice, because it means we can relax a little. (With that I can honestly say I am not a relaxed parent — haha.  I worry about lots of stuff, but not food, not anymore.)

A few tips for raising intuitive eaters:

1. Heal your relationship with food, if it needs healing (in the meantime, fake it ‘til you make it). If you talk down about your food choices or your body, your kids will pick up on that. I heard someone once say something along the lines of “Your child thinks you are perfection, so if you are saying negative things about yourself, what then does that child then think of themselves.” Food applies too; if you are always talking about food in a “good” versus “bad” way, they will pick up on this.  If you talk about you being “good” or “bad” based on what you ate that day, then they will think that about themselves too. Remove the guilt and shame from your food talk.

2. Provide options and aim for balance. Aim to include different colors and textures. Offer a variety of nutrients at meals and snacks. Balance over a week is good enough, even if you offer fruits and vegetables at every meal, it is OK if none of it gets eaten. Usually over the course of a week, kids and adults alike will get all of what they need. You can also introduce the concept of nutrition, explaining that food provides us with energy and helps us grow. Calling these foods “growing” foods is likely more helpful than calling foods “healthy” or telling them it is “good for them.” Growing foods and fun foods are both important to include in the conversation and at the table.

3. Just keep offering. It takes a lot of exposures to different types of foods for kids to really gain a preference. It is okay if they don’t want to try it, but keep offering lots of different options and variety at meals. You can also try describing the foods; using words like crunchy, sweet or sour and see if that makes them more interested. I know some parents have luck with cutting foods into different shapes or using fun utensils to keep things interesting. Letting them explore their food and play is all part of the process.

4. Let them eat or not eat, it is up to them. As parents we provide the options of what food is available and some basic guidance around when meals and snacks are. Have you ever noticed if you eat a lot at one meal, you are typically not as hungry when the next meal rolls around? That is totally normal and intuitive. Your kids have that same ability — let them use it.

Lastly, I will say being a parent is really hard. My daughter is only four so I have a lot left to learn still. This advice is rooted in my clinical experience with clients and from my education/research about feeding children and one’s relationships with food and body image. But, I know what works for some doesn’t always work for others. I want to also extend some compassion for anyone out there who dealt with food rules as a child or is passing some of those along. It is OK. Most parents are very well-meaning when they say things to their kids about food and health. It comes from a good place and while some of it might not be super helpful, a lot of times parents don’t know any other way. This, my friends, is another way!

When I approach meal planning, it is simply having a flexible plan for the week, a few recipes, a grocery list and a plan to execute.

1. Lets start with the plan. This is typically a brainstorming session with the family or roommates to decide what nights are busier and will require quick dishes or leftovers, which nights are you more likely to want to eat out and any other special plans that would make sense to include.
2. Now that you know what is on your weekly schedule, you can decide on how many nights you would like to cook at home. I usually recommend starting with two to three planned dinners per week and expanding on that. I have been meal planning for a while and we do not typically plan more than three to four dinners for the week (that allows for leftovers and dinners out). Start with two to three dinners and choose your recipes. Write this down. I aim to cook fish dishes at the beginning of the week (for smelly trash purposes) and food safety issues. I also recommend making recipes that make large portions, like slow cooker meals, toward the beginning of the week, so they can provide leftovers for other dinners or lunches.
3. Make your grocery list based off your recipes. Then expand your list to include any pantry essentials you are low on, breakfast and lunch items, and snacks. Tip: choose two breakfast options to rotate throughout the week. For example, toaster waffles with hard-boiled eggs and toast with peanut butter or avocado. You can always buy family staples like oatmeal and cereal to have when cooking in the morning is not going to happen. For lunches, we can account for some days to include leftovers and others to have items on hand for sandwiches, salads and snacks like yogurt, chips, pretzels and string cheeses. The idea is to shop on Sunday or Monday and be left with minimal food on the following weekend. That way you are eating most of your groceries, waste is limited and money is saved!
4. Time to execute! This means a little meal prep. Decide what you can do in 30 to 60 minutes on the day you go shopping to make your weekdays and nights easier. Can you batch cook some chicken breasts? Maybe you can cook all the rice you need for the week. Some other options include:

• Make a few portions of overnight oatmeal
• Roast all your sweet potatoes to add to salads
• Make homemade granola
• Boil all your eggs for the week
• Wash and chop vegetables like carrots, kale, onions and celery
• Wash and portion out fruits like grapes or melon.

You don’t have to do it all — just a few things that will make life a little easier.

Those are my four steps to getting your started with meal planning. It will take a few weeks to get the groove, and to find what works. The idea is to save you time and stress, so if you find certain aspects of this plan do not make your life easier, please modify! Like most things in nutrition, there is no one-size fits all — you have to make it work for you and your family.

The filling is simple and made with canned pumpkin and has all that pumpkin pie flavor. We have just made it a hand-pie, so you can eat this on-the-go. I am only kind of kidding. But hand-pies, empanadas, are very true to our culture and we have them at all different holidays during the year. They are typical for breakfast, served with coffee or anytime you want a slightly sweet boost to your day.

Pumpkin Empanadas

Ingredients

• 2 store-bought pie crusts
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground clove
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon of water

Instructions         

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat butter over medium-high heat until melted.
2. Add sugar and let dissolve in the butter.
3. Add pumpkin, flaxseed, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, clove and salt, whisking to combine.
4. Let cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is thickened slightly and almost pulls away from the side of the pan.
5. Set aside to cool.
6. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
7. Roll out pie crusts on a floured surface.
8. Preheat oven to 400°F.
9. Using a knife, cut out 6 inch rounds. (I used the lid of a storage container and traced around it with a knife).
10. Mix egg and water together for egg wash.
11. Place crust rounds on cookie sheets.
12. Spoon some filling onto one side of each round.
13. Fold over dough and press lightly or pinch/curl to make a design while sealing (you can also just use a fork).
14. Once they are all sealed, brush lightly with egg wash.
15. Vent each empanada by poking with a fork.
16. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
17. Serve and enjoy.

With these great revelations that really warm my heart came some really good feedback. Many let me know that while the concepts of intuitive eating made sense, they didn’t know where to start. They had a full understanding that intuitive eating was the answer to a lifetime of fighting with their body but were left wondering: How do I start? What is next?

This made so much sense to me, they had been on so many diets that having a set of rules to follow was just naturally the next step. They were looking to me to provide that. It is why I wanted to become a certified intuitive eating counselor — I wanted to help. I know embarking on your journey can be uncomfortable and filled with uncertainty.

When I work with clients I typically recommend 5 ways to get started with Intuitive Eating.

Practice recognizing diet culture.

• Once we can see diet culture, it can’t be unseen.
• Look for it in the magazines, on the internet and in yourself. What thoughts and beliefs do you hold that are really diet culture at work.

Practice getting to know your own body.

• I have clients check in every two hours throughout the day and just ask themselves if they feel pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. This is helping to practice some inner work.

Make a list of foods you really like.

• Circle the foods you avoid for reasons diet culture taught you.
• Maybe bring back one of the foods you circled this week and eat it — no judgment, just get curious.

Experiment with eating regularly.

• Eat every 3 to 4 hours, start with having 3 meals and 1 to 3 snacks per day; notice your hunger throughout the day/week. Does it change? What does this bring up for you?

Practice compassion.

• This is not a journey that is made in a day. Or a month. Give yourself some grace — you can’t do it wrong or fail. That is the beauty of it. It is your body, you can trust it, and it will learn to trust you.

With all the ways we can get started, I often ask clients to explore a little about how each experience felt for them. What questions did it bring up? And when thinking about the principles of intuitive eating, would it be helpful to start with a specific one.

Intuitive eating is really about getting curious — there is no judgment needed. If we can practice getting curious about our intentions behind our behaviors, we can really start to understand if our behaviors are serving us.